A distinctive original oil painting by contemporary British artist Mark Greenfield (b.1964), depicting a large cruiser steaming through a vigorously painted Cornish sea. Executed in Greenfield's deliberately naive manner, the ship is reduced to bold, almost architectural forms. Two large red funnels rise above the deck, trailing dark smoke against the deep green background, while the hull is picked out with rows of portholes and bands of muted green and orange.
The surrounding water is particularly energetic, built from short visible strokes of intense blue and white which suggest a choppy sea around the vessel. The simplified perspective and direct handling give the painting the character of British folk and naive art.
Details
Artist: Mark Greenfield (b.1964)
Title: Cornish Cruiser Ship
Date: 2025
Medium: Oil on board
Signature: Signed lower right
Verso: Inscribed “MARK GREENFIELD / CORNISH CRUISER SHIP / COMPLETED 1/2/25”
Artwork size: 20.5 × 29 cm (8 × 11.5 in)
Framed size: 23 × 30.5 cm (9 × 12 in)
Condition: Very good condition.
Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist.
Cornish Naive Art
Cornish maritime subjects form a recurring part of Greenfield's work, including harbours, fishing boats, sailing vessels, steamers and imagery associated with Cornwall's historic coastal landscape. His own descriptions of related marine paintings acknowledge the influence of Alfred Wallis, providing useful context for the flattened perspective, simplified vessels and direct approach seen in this work.
About the Artist
Mark Greenfield (b.1964) is a contemporary British artist born in Stoke-on-Trent. He works across painting and drawing, with Cornwall providing a persistent source of subject matter. His output includes harbour scenes, fishing boats, sailing vessels, steamers, tin mines and other imagery associated with the Cornish coast.
Greenfield's work displays a conscious interest in the tradition of British naive and Cornish art. His marine paintings make reference to the influence of Alfred Wallis, while other works engage with figures from the history of Cornish art including Sven Berlin.
